JPH1011570A - Electronic filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic filing device capable of minimizing a data quantity to make it flow on a network and speedily transferring picture information to a terminal device by transferring picture information in a data form corresponding to the function of each terminal device. SOLUTION: Picture information transfer-requested by terminal devices 13 to 15 is read from a picture storage device 2 to be transferred after converting a compressing system and compressing density corresponding to the picture reproducing functions and the display functions of the terminal devices obtained through the network, and picture information after conversion is recorded in a converted picture storing device 8. When a transferring request occurs again after then, whether the picture information exists within the device 8 is investigated and at the time of existing, the picture information is read from the device 8 to be transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic filing apparatus capable of retrieving image information by using a plurality of terminal devices, and more particularly to an electronic filing device capable of transferring image information in a data format corresponding to the function of each terminal device. It relates to an electronic filing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a large-capacity image information storage device is provided in a main unit, and image information stored in the large-capacity image information storage device is searched from a plurality of terminal devices via a communication network. In an electronic filing system for transmitting desired image information from a main device to a terminal device, since the image information is transferred to the terminal device in a predetermined data format, the terminal device does not conform to the data format of the main device. Could not extract image information. In order to solve this problem, in the system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-2631, the terminal device converts image information sent from the main device via the network so as to conform to the individual data format. The method has been adopted.

[0003]

However, in the system described in the above publication, it is necessary to provide a function for converting the data format of the image information sent from the main device for each terminal device. Also, generally, in this type of system,
Since the image stored in the main device has a higher image density than the image information required from the terminal device, there is a problem that the amount of data flowing through the network becomes larger than necessary. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, to transfer image information in a data format according to the function of each terminal device, and to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted on a network. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic filing apparatus capable of transferring desired image information to a terminal device at a minimum speed and at a high speed.

[0004]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic filing apparatus comprising: an image storage device for storing image information; a compression / reproduction device for compressing / reproducing the image information; Communication means for communicating with the device, having terminal information acquisition means for acquiring the image reproduction function of the terminal device via the communication means, read from the image storage device the image information requested to be transferred from the terminal device, After the compression method is converted in accordance with the image reproduction function of the terminal device obtained by the terminal information obtaining means, the data is transferred to the terminal device. Here, “obtaining the image reproduction function” means that if compressed image information is sent, it can be reproduced (expanded), if possible, what kind of compression method, and the required image density is It means how much. Therefore, for example, if the terminal device has no means for reproducing (expanding) the compressed image, the non-compressed image is transferred to the terminal device. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the first aspect, the requested image information can be transferred by a compression method according to the image reproduction function of each terminal device.
There is no need to provide a function for converting the compression method of image information for each terminal device, and since the image information is transferred using the compression method of the terminal device, the amount of data flowing on the network is minimized. And the desired image information can be transferred to the terminal device at high speed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic filing apparatus comprising: an image storage device for storing image information; a density conversion device for converting image density; a communication device for communicating with a terminal device; Terminal information obtaining means for obtaining the display function of the terminal device by reading the image information requested to be transferred from the terminal device from the image storage device, and obtaining the display function of the terminal device obtained by the terminal information obtaining means. After the image density is converted according to the above, the image density is transferred to the terminal device. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the second aspect, since the requested image information can be transferred with the image density corresponding to the display function of each terminal device, a function for converting the image density of the image information is provided. Since it is not necessary to provide each terminal device and the image information is transferred with the image density of the terminal device side, the amount of data flowing on the network is minimized, and the desired image can be transmitted to the terminal device at high speed. Information can be transferred.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic filing apparatus which stores image information converted according to the function of a terminal device, based on the apparatus configuration of the first or second aspect, and Means for storing the converted image index information comprising the identification code of the obtained image information and the identification code of the terminal device, and when the terminal device requests the transfer of the image information, the requested image information Is checked based on the converted image index information to determine whether or not is present in the converted image storage device, and if so, reads out the image information from the converted image storage device and transfers it to the terminal device. It is. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the third aspect, by storing the image information converted for transfer to the terminal device in the converted image storage device, the conversion processing when the same image information transfer request is made again Is unnecessary, the load at the time of the image transfer processing can be reduced, and the processing speed can be increased.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the image information in the image storage device is changed, the electronic filing device in the converted image storage device corresponding to the image is modified based on the device configuration in the third aspect. The image information and the converted image index information are deleted. According to the device configuration of the third aspect, when the image information in the image storage device is changed or updated, the consistency between the image information in the image storage device and the converted image may be lost. According to the electronic filing apparatus described above, when the image information in the image storage device is changed, the image information and the converted image index information in the converted image storage device corresponding to the image are deleted, and then changed from the terminal device. When there is a request to transfer image information, the image information is read from the image storage device, so that the consistency between the image information in the image storage device and the converted image is not lost.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic filing apparatus which determines whether to store a converted image in a converted image storage device based on an instruction from a terminal device, based on the device configuration of the third aspect. Is further provided. According to the electronic filing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, since it is possible to instruct whether or not to store the converted image from the terminal device side, it is possible to store only the image information that the user truly needs, and to convert the converted image. The limited capacity of the storage device can be effectively used.

Further, the electronic filing apparatus according to claim 6 further has means for storing the date and time of the last access for each image information in the converted image storage device, based on the apparatus configuration according to claim 3, If an attempt is made to store a new converted image, but there is no storage space in the converted image storage device, the storage space is deleted in ascending order of the last access date and time to secure a new storage space.

According to the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient,
Since the converted image with the oldest access date and time is deleted and a new converted image is stored, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device can be effectively used. Generally, since a recently searched image is likely to be searched again in the near future, it is extremely effective to store the converted image with the new access date and time as described above.

The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 7 further has means for storing the number of accesses for each piece of image information in the converted image storage device, based on the apparatus configuration according to claim 3, and provides a new device. If an attempt is made to store the converted image but the converted image storage device does not have the storage space, the converted image is deleted in ascending order of access times and a new converted image is stored in the empty area. . According to the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient, the converted image with the least number of accesses is deleted and the converted image with the most accessed number is stored. The limited capacity of the storage device can be effectively used. In general, an image that is repeatedly searched many times is likely to be searched again in the near future. Therefore, the method of storing converted images having a high number of accesses with priority as described above is extremely effective.

An electronic filing apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention has means for storing the access date and time for each piece of image information in the converted image storage apparatus, based on the apparatus configuration of the third aspect, and provides a new apparatus. If an attempt is made to store a converted image, but the converted image storage device does not have that storage space, the converted image is deleted in order from the one with the least number of accesses within a certain period of time, and a new converted image is stored in the vacant area. It is something that has been done. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the eighth aspect, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient, the image with the least number of accesses is deleted within a period retroactive to a certain period from the date and time, and a new converted image is deleted. Since it is stored, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device can be effectively utilized. In this case, it is desirable that the user can appropriately set the value of the “certain period”.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an electronic filing system having an electronic filing apparatus according to the present invention as a main apparatus. An electronic filing apparatus 100 as a main apparatus and terminals 13, 14, and 15 are connected to a network (LAN). ) Shows the interconnected system configuration. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input device such as an image scanner for inputting image information, 2 denotes a magneto-optical disk as an image information storage device for storing compressed image information, and 3 denotes an uncompressed image temporarily. Image memory to store, 4
5 is a compressed image memory for temporarily storing a compressed image, 5 is a device for compressing image information in the image memory 3 and writing the compressed image information to the compressed image memory 4 and reproducing the compressed image information in the compressed image memory 4 An image compression / reproduction unit for writing image information into the memory 3; an image density conversion unit 6 for converting the density by scaling the image information in the image memory; a communication unit 7 for transmitting / receiving information to / from a terminal device; Is a hard disk as a converted image storage device for storing converted images, 9 is an input device such as a keyboard, 10 is a display device such as a CRT display, and all of them are in the main device. Is a printing device such as a laser beam printer. A control unit 12 controls each unit in the main device. 13-1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a terminal device which searches for an image stored in the electronic filing device 100 as a main device, receives desired image information from the electronic filing device 100, and displays it.
The number of terminal devices is not limited to this. The exchange of various information between the electronic filing device 100 and the terminal devices 13 to 15 is performed via a network.

Next, the operation of the electronic filing system will be described. Image information read by the image input device 1 is temporarily stored in the image memory 3. After the image information stored in the image memory 3 is compressed by the image compression / reproduction unit 5, the image information is temporarily stored in the compressed image memory 4, and the image compression data is stored in the image information storage device 2. For the image information stored in the image information storage device 2, search information and an image title name are input by the input device 9. In this manner, a plurality of pieces of image information are stored in the image information storage device 2, and a database of the image information is constructed. Then, using the search information of the database as a clue, a desired image is searched by the terminal devices 13 to 15. The image title narrowed down as a result of the search is displayed on the display of the terminal device. Then, the operator of each of the terminal devices 13 to 15 selects an image to be viewed from the displayed image titles, and requests the electronic filing apparatus 100 to transfer image information.

The subsequent operation will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.
Explanation will be given according to the FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the contents of the conversion / transfer processing of the image information, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of the transfer processing of the stored converted image information. In the flow of FIG. 2, the electronic filing device 1
Upon receiving the image information transfer request, 00 acquires reproducible compression method information from the terminal devices 13 to 15 that have issued the request (step S1). If it is possible to reproduce the desired image information in the image information storage device 2 by the same method as the compression method in the terminal devices 13 to 15 (YES in step S2), the image requested from the image information storage device 2 is returned. After reading the information (step S3), the terminal device 1
The required image density information is acquired from 3 to 15 (step S4). If the density of the image information on the terminal devices 13 to 15 is the same as the density of the image information requested to be transferred in the image information storage device 2 (YES in step S5), the compression read out from the image information storage device 2 is performed. The image is directly transferred to the terminal devices 13 to 15 which issued the transfer request (step S6). If the densities are different (NO in step S5), the image information is reproduced once (step S8), and the terminal devices 13 to
After the compression density is converted to the compression density on the 15 side (step S9), the data is recompressed (step S10) and transferred to the terminal devices 13 to 15 that issued the transfer request (step S6).

If the compression method is different (NO in step S2), the requested image information is read from the image information storage device 2 (step S11), and the image is reproduced once (step S12). The required image density information is obtained from the terminal devices 13 to 15 (step S1).
3). If the density of the image information on the terminal devices 13 to 15 is the same as the density of the image information requested to be transferred in the image information storage device 2 (YES in step S14), the process directly proceeds to step S15. (Step S1
(NO in 4), convert the compression density into the compression density of the terminal devices 13 to 15 (step S16), and proceed to step S15, where the terminal devices 13 to 15 have a function of reproducing a compressed image that can be compressed by the electronic filing device 100. Find out if. As a result, if such a function exists in the terminal devices 13 to 15, the image is compressed by the compression method (step S17) and transferred to the terminal devices 13 to 15 (step S6). The data is transferred to the devices 13 to 15 (step S6). Thereafter, the transfer image information is stored in the converted image storage device 8 (step S7), and the index information of the converted image is further stored (step S18), and the image transfer process ends.

As described above, by transferring the converted image information to the terminal devices 13 to 15 and storing the converted image information and the converted image index information, there is a request to transfer the same image again. In such a case, the above-described conversion processing becomes unnecessary.

The converted image index information includes the image number and the terminal number of the original image stored in the image information storage device 2. In addition, any of the date and time information stored as access information and the access count information is stored. Then, when there is an image request from the terminal devices 13 to 15, the flow of FIG. 3 is executed, and first, the converted image index information is searched for the one whose image number matches the terminal number (step S19). If there is a match (YES in step S19), the corresponding converted image information is read from the converted image storage device 8 (step S20) and transferred to the terminal devices 13 to 15 (step S21). At this time, information such as the access date and time and the number of accesses of the converted image index information is updated (step S22). Also,
If there is no match (NO in step S19), the conversion processing of FIG. 2 is executed.

If there is no area for storing a new converted image in the converted image storage device 8 during the storing process in step S7, the converted image index information may be necessary in the future according to information such as the access date and time and the number of accesses. The image that is least likely to be erased is erased. This erasure is repeated until an area in which a new converted image can be stored can be secured.
As described above, by determining image information that is likely to be accessed again and storing the image information in the converted image storage device 8 preferentially, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device 8 can be effectively used. . The storage processing in step S7 is also performed by instructions from the terminal devices 13 to 15. In this case, the electronic filing apparatus 100 performs the data transfer process (step S6), and then performs the terminal device 13
15, information on the necessity of storage such as transfer image information is acquired, and if storage is unnecessary, the converted image storage processing (step S7) and the converted image index storage processing (step S18) are not performed. Therefore, only the image information that the user deems truly necessary can be stored in the converted image storage device 8, and the capacity of the converted image storage device can be more effectively utilized. When the original image information stored in the image information storage device 2 is changed by updating, deleting, or the like, the image number of the converted image index information that matches the changed image number is searched for. If so, the image information and index information are deleted. Therefore, the image information in the image storage device 2 and the converted image storage device 8
There is no loss of consistency with the converted image in.

[0020]

In summary, the present invention has the following excellent effects. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the first aspect, since the requested image information can be transferred by a compression method corresponding to the image reproduction function of each terminal device, a function for converting the compression method of the image information is provided. It is not necessary to provide a terminal device with each terminal device, and since the image information is transferred by the compression method on the terminal device side, the amount of data flowing on the network is minimized, and a desired high-speed transmission to the terminal device is achieved. Image information can be transferred. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the second aspect, since the requested image information can be transferred with the image density corresponding to the display function of each terminal device, a function for converting the image density of the image information is provided. Since it is not necessary to provide each terminal device and the image information is transferred with the image density of the terminal device side, the amount of data flowing on the network is minimized, and the desired image can be transmitted to the terminal device at high speed. Information can be transferred.

According to the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, the image information converted for transfer to the terminal device is stored in the converted image storage device, so that the same image information is again requested to be transferred. , The load of the image transfer process can be reduced, and the processing speed can be increased. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the fourth aspect, when the image information in the image storage device is changed, the image information and the converted image index information in the converted image storage device corresponding to the image are deleted, and thereafter, the terminal device When there is a transfer request for the changed image information, the image information is read from the image storage device, so that the consistency between the image information in the image storage device and the converted image is not lost.

According to the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, since it is possible to instruct whether or not to store the converted image from the terminal device side, it is possible to store only the image information that the user deems truly necessary. Thus, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device can be effectively utilized. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the sixth aspect, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient, the converted image with the oldest access date and time is deleted and a new converted image is stored. The limited capacity can be used effectively.

According to the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient,
Since the converted image with the least number of accesses is deleted and the converted image with the most accessed number is stored, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device can be effectively used. According to the electronic filing apparatus of the eighth aspect, when the capacity of the converted image storage device becomes insufficient, the image with the least number of accesses is deleted within a period that is retroactive from the date and time for a new converted image. Since it is stored, the limited capacity of the converted image storage device can be effectively utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an electronic filing system having an electronic filing apparatus according to the present invention as a main device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the contents of a process of converting and transferring image information in the electronic filing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of a transfer process of stored converted image information in the electronic filing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 image input device, 2 image information storage device (magneto-optical disk), 3 image memory, 4 compressed image memory, 5 image compression / reproduction unit, 6 image density conversion unit, 7 communication unit, 8
Converted image storage device (hard disk), 9 input devices,
Reference Signs List 10 display device, 11 printing device, 12 control unit, 13
15 Terminal device, 100 Electronic filing device (main device).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/21 G06F 15/40 310F 1/41 370B 15/64 450E

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image storage device for storing image information, a compression / reproduction means for compressing / reproducing the image information, a communication means for communicating with the terminal device, and an image reproduction function of the terminal device obtained via the communication means. Read from the image storage device the image information requested to be transferred from the terminal device, and convert the compression method according to the image reproduction function of the terminal device obtained by the terminal information obtaining device. An electronic filing device, wherein the electronic filing device transfers the file to the terminal device after performing the process. 2. An image storage device for storing image information, density conversion means for converting image density, communication means for communicating with the terminal device, and a terminal for acquiring a display function of the terminal device via the communication means. Having information acquisition means, read image information requested to be transferred from the terminal device from the image storage device, and after converting the image density according to the display function of the terminal device acquired by the terminal information acquisition means, An electronic filing device, wherein the electronic filing device transfers the file to the terminal device. 3. A converted image storage device for storing image information converted according to the function of the terminal device, and converted image index information comprising an identification code of the stored image information and an identification code of the terminal device. Means for storing, when there is a transfer request for image information from the terminal device, whether or not the requested image information exists in the converted image storage device is checked based on the converted image index information, 3. The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image information is read from the converted image storage device and transferred to the terminal device, if any. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an image in said image storage device is changed, image information and converted image index information in said converted image storage device corresponding to the image are deleted. 3. Electronic filing device. 5. The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising means for determining whether to store the converted image in the converted image storage device according to an instruction from a terminal device. 6. A means for storing the date and time of the last access for each image information in the converted image storage device, and when there is no storage space for storing a new converted image in the converted image storage device, 4. The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the oldest access date and time are deleted in order to secure a new storage space. 7. A means for storing the number of accesses for each piece of image information in the converted image storage device, and when there is no storage space for storing a new converted image in the converted image storage device, 4. The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the converted images are deleted in ascending order and a new converted image is stored in the empty area. 8. A means for storing the date and time of access for each image information in the converted image storage device, and when there is no storage space for storing a new converted image in the converted image storage device, 4. The electronic filing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the electronic filing apparatus deletes the images in ascending order of the number of accesses within a predetermined period and stores a new converted image in the empty area.